Advances in E-learning-Experiences and Methodologies

Quality Assessment of

Quality Assessment of E-Facilitators Table 1. The e-quality assessment matrix Expected Quality Performance & Activities Presence • Actively visible in the classroom 5 days a week • Absent from class no more than 2 consecutive days • Posts 10% of the communications in the classroom Classroom Organization & Environment • Sets up the entire course and is ready for students 3 days prior to the session start date • Posts a welcome announcement & introduction • Responds to e-mails and provides appropriate guidance for helping students get started Target Activities: OUTSTANDING CONSISTENT Quality Performance • Actively visible and felt in the classroom 7 days a week • Absent from class less than 2 consecutive days • Posts 18-20% of the communications in the classroom • Replies to e-mails and questions posted on the discussion board within 24 hours • Sets up the entire course and is ready for students one week prior to session start • Posts a welcome announcement/introduction and e-mails the same to all students • Posts reminder announcements regarding assignments and due dates • Provides helpful guidelines such as discussion protocol, grading criteria, and overall expectations • Creates an environment that encourages questions and participation • Creates a supportive, student-centered learning environment • Guides students throughout the course with appropriate e-mails/postings Interaction with Students • Maintains a friendly and professional attitude in all communications with students at all times • Enthusiastic, encouraging and supportive when providing feedback and assisting students with problems and questions • Addresses the needs and abilities of individual students • Assists students with problems that may impede the successful completion of the course, directing students to tutorial services as appropriate • Displays enthusiasm towards e-learning • Encourages student-to-student and student-to-professor dialogue • Encourages questions • Respects diverse opinions • Displays cultural sensitivity • Provides continuous support at all times • Respectfully communicates the importance of timeliness • Identifies student problems early on and ensures that students receive the appropriate assistance needed to complete the course successfully continued on following page

Quality Assessment of E-Facilitators Table 1 continued Discussion • Encourages collaborative learning and active student involvement • Fosters a highly interactive learning environment by showing his/her presence in the discussion area • Facilitates a meaningful, ongoing dialog and applies real-world professional experiences in the classroom Feedback • Assesses student performance based grading criteria and course competencies within 10 days of the assignment due date • Provides detailed, constructive meaningful, and appropriate feedback on student assignments • Replies to e-mails within 48 hours • Reads discussion postings daily and provides feedback within 24 hours • Respects diversity in students and different ways of learning • Shows presence andinterest by probing students further to deepen discussions • Encourages experienced based learning by asking students to share their experiences when discussing theory • Encourages cooperation, collaboration, and participation among students • Assesses student performance within 7 days of the assignment due date • Provides detailed, constructive meaningful feedback • Provides detailed feedback of written analysis on theory and application when appropriate • Advises the student of precise where improvement is expected and how they can achieve it concLusIon Competition in e-education is becoming fierce as institutions seek to gain positions in the global marketplace. Consequently, e-universities must focus on service quality at every level. According to Orsini (2000), colleges really do not make quality a part of their mission statement and are unable to agree on who their customers are. Thus, if e-universities embark on the next logical move of applying a rigorous e-quality management evaluation system effectively, then continuous improvement and quality of service to the student will be embraced as a growing movement. Consequently, the e-quality assessment matrix (e-QAM) presented in this chapter would be a solid starting point to give performance feedback to the e-facilitator to achieve and maintain high quality standards consistently. The performance and conformance of quality are tied to the quality of e-training and development. Applying the e-QAM will allow online educational programs to monitor, guide, and support e-facilitators by assessing their performance on specific criteria important to quality in the online educational environment and trainand develop them in areas they need to improve in. If quality is consistently displayed by every e-facilitator throughout the online university, then students will realize that quality is a part of this organization’s culture, which may lead to higher student satisfaction and higher enrollment numbers. The e-QAM holds both the e-facilitator and the e-institution responsible for providing a high level of quality. The model may be used as a strategic e-TQM planning element to identify training and development needs, monitor progress, and continually enhance maximum quality of e-teaching and e-learning.